Storm poised to crash into state

Updated 11:11 pm, Thursday, February 7, 2013

Silvana Gutierrez, her daughter, Sofia Salazar, 2, and Leonardo Salazar stock up on groceries in preparation for the comming storm at C-Town in Danbury. Yari Zapata, who is bagging their purchases, said the market was especially busy Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013.. less

Silvana Gutierrez, her daughter, Sofia Salazar, 2, and Leonardo Salazar stock up on groceries in preparation for the comming storm at C-Town in Danbury. Yari Zapata, who is bagging their purchases, said the ... more

A snowstorm that meteorologists described as "possibly historic" for the amount of snow it could bring, was expected to arrive Friday morning.

Forecasts call for a wild mix of wind and snow Friday afternoon. In the evening, listen for "thundersnow" -- a thunderstorm in the middle of a snowstorm -- according to Bill Jacquemin, chief meteorologist at the Connecticut Weather Center in Danbury.

By the time the storm leaves Saturday, 18 inches of snow may have fallen in far western Connecticut and as much as three feet in central and eastern parts of the state. The snow is expected to be accompanied by near-blizzard winds, creating massive drifts.

With the storm, a classic nor'easter following a path that has brought heavy snow to New England, gathering strength Thursday, school officials began canceling classes for Friday.

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Snowfall time lineFrom early Friday to noon: Light snow, with about 3 to 4 inches of accumulation possible.Friday afternoon: Storm intensifies, with snow falling at a rate of 1 to 3 inches an hour and winds increasing.Friday night: Storm reaches peak. Possible thundersnow -- snowstorm mixed with thunderstorm.Saturday morning: Snow ends. Winds continue to create drifts throughout the day.

Officials with Western Connecticut State University said Thursday that Friday classes are canceled.

Western Connecticut Health Network announced Thursday that it would close many of its outpatient services at noon Friday. Danbury and New Milford hospitals and their emergency departments will stay open as usual. For a list of closed offices, go to www.wchn.org.

Late Thursday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said all non-essential state employees should not report to work Friday.

Municipal officials spent the better part of Thursday ensuring their towns were ready. After emergency musters for tropical storms, October nor'easters and hurricanes in the last couple of years, they seem to know the drill.

Pat Llodra, first selectwoman of Newtown, said her road crews were worried by some weather reports that show a switch from snow to rain and sleet for at least part of the storm, creating thick ice on the roads.

"If it just stays a big snowstorm, that would be good," she said. "We're good at snow."

Jacquemin and Lessor said Thursday that the storm would be all snow -- anywhere from 16 to 24 for inches in western Connecticut to as much as three feet in central and eastern sections of the state.

Lessor said the storm would be particularly bad along the Connecticut shoreline, from New Haven east to Rhode Island. There, he said, there would be sustained winds of 25 to 30 mph, and gusts of 55 to 60 mph..

Jacquemin said the rest of the state could see "near-blizzard" conditions at the storm's peak Friday night -- high winds, snow, and near-zero visibility. He said the storm could equal the famed blizzard of 1978, which hit the state on Feb. 6 of that year.

"We could be getting 1 to 3 inches of snow an hour," Jacquemin said.

As the storm intensifies, it could pull biting cold air down from the north. That would make the snow light and dry and increase the overall amount that falls.

Lighter snow, Jacquemin said, is more easily blown around; that means the winds could more easily blow that snow into bigger drifts.

New Milford Mayor Pat Murphy said some roads in town would see drifts taller than cars.

"I live on one," she said.

Major power outages don't often come with big storms, and on Thursday, towns were not yet ready to emergency shelters.